The prize
by SugarIsGood
Summary: Piper has started a game. The prize is great, the loss is greater and loosing isn't an option...
1. Unnatural behaviour

**Disclaimer:** _I own nothing of Charmed :-( BUT; I do own the storyline :-)  
_**Summary:** _Piper has started a game. The prize is great, the loss is greater and loosing isn't an option..._  
**Timeline:**_ Leo is just a Whitelighter, no Chris or Wyatt; Cole has 'normal' evil powers but is not evil.  
_**Authors' notes:** _This is my first fan fiction so please be fairly nice!_  
**Feedback:** _Would be very much appreciated, as would constructive criticism._

**_The prize_  
_Chapter 1: Unnatural behaviour_**

* * *

Phoebe Halliwell danced in front of the bathroom mirror in the manor. The sweet, soulful rhythm of Usher's 'Yeah', reached her ears from the bright blue portable radio next to the sink. She ran a fingertip full of gloss across her bottom lip and then pressed her lips together in a kissing gesture. She winked at herself and then left the bathroom in search of her sisters. 

She could hear her younger sister, Paige, singing to herself, badly, in her room. Phoebe knocked on the open door and let out a low whistle as she took in her sister's attire for their girls' night out.

"Wow…Paige…you looking to pick up a guy tonight?"

"You never know Pheebs, stranger things have happened," Paige smiled a wicked grin as she finished adjusting her blood red top with beaded spaghetti-straps.

"Should I change out of my dress and put on some pants? I don't want to be too different from you and Piper."

Paige gave Phoebe a once-over and smiled an approving smile as she surveyed Phoebe's plain black sleeveless dress.

"Pheebs, you're already different from Piper and me. I don't think dressing like us will help, at all."

Phoebe playfully smacked Paige on the upper arm, "Yeah, well you're going to have to tell me where you got the pin-striped pants because I love them."

"That's an easy one. I got them from your closet."

Paige strode past Phoebe trying to suppress her laughter as Phoebe's face expressed her unawareness. The two youngest Halliwell's left Paige's room seeking Piper. They located her in the living room stuffing a duffel bag with clothes. Piper was wearing jeans and a long sleeve t-shirt. Phoebe's brow matched Paige's as they both stared at Piper in confusion.

"Um…Piper? We're having a girls' night out, not a girls' week out. Why aren't you dressed, and why are you packing?"

Piper stopped long enough to look at her sisters with tear-soaked eyes, "Phoebe, I'm sorry, but I have to leave. I can't be here right now. I need a break. I need to be away from the both of you and from Leo."

Piper walked past Paige and Phoebe who were both motionless with disbelief. They quickly regained their senses and followed Piper into the kitchen where she was putting matches, a flashlight and five bottles of water into her duffle bag.

Paige took a step toward Piper only to be met with a hand raised to warn her to stay away, "You two can't talk me out of leaving. I won't be gone forever. But I just need to leave. You have to understand that."

Phoebe was speechless, but Paige filled the void, "No, Piper, we don't have to understand anything! Two hours ago the three of us are laughing and talking about how much fun we are going to have tonight and now…you go psycho runaway on us? I don't think so. What gives?"

Piper raised an angry eyebrow, her brown eyes flaming in annoyance, "Paige, when you've been a sister to me longer, then you can demand answers from me, until then you are only my half-sister and I owe you nothing."

Phoebe stepped in front of Paige as though she could lessen the sting of Piper's words with her body. Phoebe could sense that behind her Paige was trying hard not to cry.

"Jesus, Piper! What in the hell are you attacking Paige for? What has gotten into you?"

"Back off little sis. Just back off. If it weren't for you none of us would be in this situation."

"What situation?" Phoebe demanded to know, her body shaking with the adrenaline of confrontation.

Piper looked as though she was about to say something and then she slammed her fist into the wall behind Phoebe and Paige.

"Damn it! Just back off. I need some time!" With that, Piper stormed out of the kitchen and into the cool San Francisco air.

Phoebe and Paige stood silent, stunned in the kitchen. Piper's malicious words and angry tone were resonating in their ears. Phoebe turned to look at Paige, who had not shed any tears although the temptation had been great. The youngest Halliwell, breathed in deeply before finally looking Phoebe in the eyes.

"Book of Shadows?"

"Hell yeah."

* * *

Piper got out of her car. It was night and the parking garage was dimly lit. She shut her door, leaving the keys inside the Jeep and holding the duffel bag tightly in one hand. Tears streamed down her face as she recalled every word she said to her sisters. Her heart beat ferociously with the knowledge of what she was doing. 

Suddenly, she began to yell to the night air, "Okay, I'm ready, you bastard. I did what you wanted me to do, so come on, let's get this game started!"

As her words settled into echoes, a shimmer distorted the air in front of her. A frown deeper than the scowl that had plastered her face seconds before made its way across her face.

"Finally," she said as the shimmer took shape and formed into a man.

"If I were you I wouldn't be too testy, Halliwell. I hold your entire future with your sisters and Leo in my hands. It's up to you and you alone to save them."

"If you think that scares me, you have another thing coming, Cole Turner, but we had a deal. One year ago I made a promise to you that I would play this ridiculous game and now I will keep my word it if it means saving my sisters' life."

"That's a good girl, Piper." Cole held on to Piper's upper arm and together they shimmered away, leaving behind only the single car, in the lonely parking garage, in the cold, darkness of the San Francisco autumn night.

* * *

"Okay…Leo, if _you_ don't know what's going on with your wife then why do you think we know?" Phoebe asked as she paced back and forth in front of the podium. 

Paige was sitting on the small Victorian, red velvet sofa pushed against the wall of the attic. She watched Phoebe pace as a spectator watches a tennis game. Leo stood in the middle of the attic with both hands dangling at his sides looking at the floor.

"So you're telling me that your sister, my wife, stormed out of here tonight with no real explanation?"

Phoebe and Paige both nodded.

"I find that very hard to believe. Why would Piper do that?"

"I don't know Leo. All I know is one minute we're all happy and excited about our girls' night out and then the next Piper is throwing a serious hissy fit saying that she needs to be away from both me and Paige and away from you. When we tried to get her to explain herself, she basically said something very hurtful to Paige and then stormed out."

Paige stood up from the couch and stopped Phoebe from pacing by grabbing her by the shoulders, "Sorry, sis, but you were making me dizzy."

"Yeah, sorry, I'm just…"

"…Nervous? Worried? Yeah, me too. I know that Piper wouldn't have said those things if she didn't have to."

Leo turned his eyes toward Paige, "What do you mean?"

"Well…the only way Piper would be that mean is if either she was under a spell or demonic influence, or she had to say those things to keep us from following her or asking anymore questions."

Phoebe took off her glasses and sighed, "Well, it worked, I was so stunned by the things she said that I didn't even think to follow her."

Paige gave Phoebe a sympathetic smile. She knew she and her sisters had come a long way in building a relationship in the previous year. Paige also knew that even if Piper never said it, her oldest sister loved her.

"I didn't think about it either, Pheebs. It's not our fault she's gone."

Leo looked longingly at the book, "So it gave you no ideas?"

Both sisters shook their heads.

"What about you, Leo?" Phoebe asked, "Are you picking up anything on her from your Whitelighter radar?"

"No nothing. And you're sure nothing she said or did gave you any clue as to where she was going?"

Phoebe's voice was apologetic and worried, "No, I'm sure."

"I'm not."

Leo and Phoebe turned to look at the youngest Halliwell as she bit her bottom lip and held a finger to her chin in thought. Paige looked at Phoebe and Leo and nodded.

"Yeah, there was something strange," Paige, affirmed.

Phoebe shrugged her shoulders as she and Leo waited impatiently for Paige's revelation.

"Phoebe, what do you remember seeing Piper pack?"

"Clothes, I guess, what difference does it make?" Phoebe had an edge of irritability in her tone.

"I saw her putting five bottles of water, matches and a flashlight in her one bag."

"One bag?" Leo was intrigued. "Piper never takes one bag anywhere."

Phoebe nodded in agreement, "That is weird."

"And you guys are totally missing my point," Paige declared close to being angry. "The things Piper put in her one bag people…think about it…is she going camping? Who in the hell packs matches, a flashlight, and water to go to a hotel?"

Leo and Phoebe looked at Paige with expectant faces.

"What? That's all I've got."

"Well, it's not a lot," Leo scowled as he began to pace.

Paige was sombre, "Well it's better than what you came up with."

Phoebe looked from Paige to Leo with impatience, "Okay…so we know Piper wouldn't willingly go camping, so there must be a demon behind it."

Paige nodded, "That's my theory, too."

"And if Piper said the things she said to you, then we know that the only reason she's not here is because she's somewhere being forced to do something to save your lives or mine."

Phoebe and Paige stared at one another as Piper's words culled in their minds.

"If it weren't for you none of us would be in this situation. Paige, she was talking to me. If it weren't for me we wouldn't be in this situation. It's got something to do with me."

"The only demon I know that you know well enough to hold any power over any of us is Cole," Leo's words broke through to Phoebe and stung her heart with their honesty.

"And now he's back to the evil side, again and Piper's involved." Paige frowned at the thought of her big sister, alone in a place unknown to them, with Cole. Phoebe frowned about it even harder.

* * *

Please click the little purple/blue/lilac colour button and tell me what you think! Or you could e-mail me at the address on my profile if you so wish :) 


	2. Phase one

**Disclaimer:** _I own nothing of Charmed :-( BUT; I do own the storyline :-)  
_**Summary: **_Piper has started a game. The prize is great, the loss is greater and loosing isn't an option..._  
**Timeline:**_ Leo is just a Whitelighter, no Chris or Wyatt; Cole has 'normal' evil powers but is not evil.  
_**Authors' notes:** _This is my first fan fiction so please be fairly nice!_  
**Feedback:** _Would be very much appreciated, as would constructive criticism._

**_The prize_  
_Chapter 2: Phase one_**

* * *

As their shimmering stopped, Piper fell to the ground, dizzy. 

"And I thought orbing was bad."

Cole smiled and shrugged, "You get used to it. Now come on."

Piper stood and surveyed her surroundings. She was on a beach and the sun was shining brightly. Electric blue water met the white sands with a splash. Palm trees scattered the beach and beyond that an immense forest grew.

"Where in the world are we?"

"Not the world, Piper. We're not in the world. We're on a demonic island on a different plane."

"Why?"

"You know the deal you made."

"I do. Is this game necessary for me to save them?"

"Until you play the game the threat will remain and don't forget the prize you get if you win.

"How could I? She's one-third of the reason I agreed to this."

"Hey, you should be thankful I'm not the Source anymore, otherwise the game wouldn't be fair."

Piper half-smiled, half-snarled, "Yeah, well, don't expect me to trust you anytime soon. You're still a demon, of some kind."

"Going to the demonic wasteland gave me the power to come back to Phoebe. I will win her back."

"Not if you get me killed you won't."

"Believe me Piper, if there were any other way to help you out I'd do it, but this is what has to be."

They walked further into the shadows of the forest beyond the palm trees. Piper was glad she had worn hiking boots. She thought of the scene in the manor before she stormed out. She scolded herself for choosing the words she chose in the first place. She definitely did not think of Paige as a half-sister and she certainly didn't blame Phoebe for anything. Mentally kicking herself for not saying a word to Leo, she continued to follow Cole and wished she had been able to tell her husband ands sisters what she had to do.

"Cole? Why couldn't I tell Phoebe and Paige or Leo what's going on, or about the deal I made?"

"Because they can't help you. If they help you then you don't get the prize."

"Would you quit calling it 'the prize'?"

"Sorry. It's the old evil talking."

"Whatever, can we just go over the rules again?"

"How does Leo put up with you? You're so impetuous."

"Look buddy, give me the rules or I'll make your family jewels disappear."

Cole raised his eyebrows in amusement, "Okay, okay. The first rule is of course, no outside help. You and you alone can play the game. The second rule is that there will be four phases. The first will be you against demon. You won't know when or where or how many, but you will fight, and it won't be easy."

Piper nodded, "Okay, second phase?"

"You against the elements: earth, wind, fire and water."

Piper felt a shudder course through her veins at the mention of water, but she held her eyes and hands steady, "All four elements at one time, or different times?"

"One phase, different times for each element. Each element will present itself in a different challenge."

"Sounds like fun, a real hootenanny."

"Third phase: Fact or fiction. Fourth phase…"

"Hold on, hold on, go back to the third phase. Fact or fiction? Could you vague that up some more for me?"

"In the third phase there will be people presented to you and some of them will be real and are there to help you succeed. However some of them will not be real and will only be out to kill you. It will be up to you to decide who is fact and who is fiction."

"Next."

"Phase four: The ultimate test. The prize will be jeopardized and it will be up to you to make sure it survives the game. Otherwise, you're back at square one and we play again in a year."

"This is going to be so much fun. I can't wait." Piper's tone was emotionless.

"Okay then, that's everything. I will be back on the beach in seven days with Phoebe, Paige and Leo. Until then, good luck. I really do wish you well Piper."

Cole shimmered away, leaving Piper with a million questions about the island. As she sat down her duffel bag and began breaking off branches to build a lean-to, she heard a noise behind her.

"Oh please don't tell me phase one starts now," she whispered as she slowly turned around.

Staring down at Piper were six large, heavily muscled, bright green demons, each snarling a growl at her.

Piper threw the branch she had been holding on the ground, "Aw crap."

* * *

Phoebe paced the floor of the living room waiting for Paige to return from the kitchen with some sandwiches. Leo sat with his face in his hands on the sofa. They had gotten nowhere with scrying or Leo's Whitelighter radar. He had even asked the Elders about Piper's disappearance, but their answers were evasive. 

Paige returned with a tray of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and three tall glasses of milk. She placed the tray on the coffee table and then sat down in front of it. The three of them stared at the sandwiches with no hunger in there eyes. Paige looked at Phoebe and Leo.

"Phoebe, did you try calling out for Cole? I'm sure with all his dandy new powers he can hear you," Paige was careful to keep her voice from sounding too accusatory.

"I tried. He either didn't hear me or he's avoiding me."

Leo looked from one sister to the other, "I think I might know of something that could help. But I'm not sure if we should do it."

"Why? Is it dangerous?" Phoebe was intrigued.

"It could be if Piper ever found out we did it." Leo's voice was unsure, hesitant.

Paige was becoming impatient, "Well, Piper isn't exactly here right now to get mad at us, so what's the plan?"

"Well, Piper keeps a diary. We could read it to see what was going through her mind, maybe."

Phoebe and Paige glanced at one another and then to Leo. They both nodded as to indicate they wanted to read Piper's diary. Leo swallowed hard as though regretting his suggestion.

Within seconds, Phoebe and Paige were sitting on the edge of Leo and Piper's bed holding a leather-bound journal in their hands. It remained closed as they fought over who should read it.

"I think you should read it, Phoebe. You've been her sister longer, she won't be upset with you."

"Oh, no, Paige. You read it because you're the youngest sister and the baby sisters are supposed to do things like this."

Paige raised an eyebrow and smirked, "That wasn't a convincing point. Why don't we just take turns?"

Phoebe nodded, "Fair enough."

They had not noticed that Leo had slipped from the room to leave them alone with the diary.

* * *

**A/N: Thank you to:**

debbydo0dles45 - my first reviewer!  
Quillsandbolts – thanks for that info about anonymous reviews and I hope this is the sort of spectacular you had in mind!  
'chuffy-barmed-oc' – like the game?

Please click the little purple/blue/lilac colour button and tell me what you think! Or you could e-mail me at the address on my profile if you so wish :)


	3. Dear diary

**Disclaimer:** _I __own nothing of Charmed :-( BUT; I do own the storyline :-)  
_**Summary: **_Piper has started a game. The prize is great, the loss is greater and loosing isn't an option..._  
**Timeline:**_ Leo is just a Whitelighter, no Chris or Wyatt; Cole has 'normal' evil powers but is not evil.  
_**Authors' notes:** _This is my first fan fiction so please be fairly nice!_  
**Feedback:** _Would be very much appreciated, as would constructive criticism._

**_The prize_  
_Chapter 3: Dear diary_**

* * *

She wasn't really sure when it had started to rain. She figured it had to be after she had vanquished the first of the six green demons, but before the second had knocked her onto her butt. Piper rolled a few times before coming to a stop and standing again. 

"Okay, five to one. The odds aren't exactly in my favour, but then again, you don't have this…" Piper threw up her hands and two more demons exploded into dust. She smiled and looked confidently at the last three demons.

"Want a piece of the power?"

The demons looked at one another and then continued their advance on Piper. Piper threw her hands up again but this time nothing happened.

"Oh, oh, that's not good, that's not good." A small girlish shriek came out of her mouth as a demon threw a punch at her and she ducked.

"I hate having to do things the hard way," she said as she came up from ducking the punch and landed a hard roundhouse kick to the demons head. He flew into the air and landed with a thud several yards away. Piper had no time to pat herself on the back as another demon advanced. She watched helplessly as a ball of energy formed in the demon's hand.

"This can't be good."

* * *

"She said that about me?" Paige couldn't believe what she had just heard. She paced Piper's room in a frenzy. 

"Calm down Paige. It was after you had just moved in. Piper was still dealing with everything. She didn't mean it."

"Well she meant it enough to write it in her journal."

Phoebe shrugged, not being able to deny the truth. She searched Paige's face and saw the pain and confusion there. Phoebe returned her gaze to the journal.

"Oh…wait, Paige, I'm sorry, I didn't read it correctly. The paragraph continues to the next page."

Paige eyed Phoebe sceptically, "Really?"

Phoebe nodded and reread the passage, "Paige is the most irresponsible, annoying 25 year-old ever and if she wasn't a grown woman I'd send her to her room or take her over my knee with a switch..."

Phoebe could feel Paige smouldering beside her she flipped the page and continued, "but she's also the most incredible, loving, giving person I've met. Her ability to come in to our lives and make us fall in love with her is amazing. I can't believe I had to live the first 28 years of my life without her."

"Oh…she said that? Really?"

"See for yourself."

Paige took the journal from Phoebe and smiled as she read it, "I can be quite annoying."

Phoebe gave Paige a quick hug and stretched out on the bed, intent on reading more, "There's got to be something in here about why she was so upset."

"Keep reading."

* * *

Piper narrowly escaped the thrown ball of electricity. As she hid behind tree she noticed that there was a sound coming from nearby. It was running water. She ran quickly toward the sounds, pursued by the demons. She came to a narrow cliff and straight down was water formed from a waterfall on the other side. 

She surveyed the landscape and saw a vine hanging next to her. She quickly wrapped it around her wrist. She had devised a plan to get at least one of the demons off of her back. She turned to face the oncoming demons. As the lead demon neared she jumped from her spot on the cliff and sailed through the air toward the pool of clear liquid below her. One of the demons followed after her, plummeting downward with an electricity ball in his hand.

Piper was stopped by the vine from hitting the water. She watched as the demon plunged into the water and as the electricity ball lit the water in blue and white sparks. Piper barely flinched as the demon that had jumped after her burst into flames and disappeared.

"Two to go," she said as she climbed up the rope and swung onto the cliff next to the other demons.

"Who's next?"

The demons charged her. Piper merely sidestepped them sending them into the electric water below. As they also disappeared, Piper shook her head and smiled.

"Why are demons never very intelligent?"

She quietly made her way back to the lean-to. She sat down, soaked from the rain, and weary. She closed her eyes and leaned back thinking only of her sisters, the prize, and the possibilities.

She awoke with her face in the mud. Her head ached with drowsiness and her body was chilled to the core from the rain, which had soaked through her makeshift lean-to. Her jeans were drenched as was her red long sleeve t-shirt. A sneeze erupted from her and she flinched in surprise. She shook off the chill and crawled out of her shelter into torrential downpour.

"Some shelter, I'm soaked," Piper grunted as she sneezed again, picked up her bag and made her way into the forest.

She grimaced as she felt a fever beginning to burn in her muscles. Her duffel bag was slung over her shoulder and it felt heavier than normal. She knew that the rain falling upon her was part of the second phase of the game. It was the water portion of the elements. She shook her head and continued even deeper into the woods hoping to find a cave, a hollow tree, anything that would protect her from the sickness she felt creeping around her blood.

She could barely see two feet in front of her. Blindly, she made her way into a clearing. Each step she took brought her feet into a quagmire of mud and water. Her hiking boots were soaked and covered in filth. Piper took a few more steps and stopped to look around. She could see nothing against the blanket of rain that continued to surge from the sky. She was at least thankful that she had defeated the demon part of the game. Otherwise, she might have surrendered just to go home.

Piper turned to head back the way she came when suddenly the ground beneath her opened up. She cascaded with sheets of mud and rain into a hole large enough for her to barely slip through it. She landed with a gush at the bottom of a rather large cavern. She struggled to breath as she sat up. She was angry and frustrated.

"Damn it! This game is ridiculous!" Piper voice was plastered with the intense irritation she was feeling.

"I have to play your game," she spoke to no one but the rain still pouring into the cavern from the hole above her, "I have to play because I promised. I made a deal. I made a deal to play your stupid game to save my sisters. But you never said there would be so many…stupid…incredibly silly…freaking phases! I should have known better than to make a deal with any demon, especially the Source of all evil! Even more than that…I can't believe I was so stupid as to make a deal with you!" She pointed toward what little sky she could see. Thunder exploded as an answer to her remarks.

"Oh sure, that's all you're going to say to me. You elders are ridiculous. You're all about the greater good, aren't you? We'll wouldn't the greater good be to just give me what I'm playing for? The prize, as both sides seem to want to call it. I'm your freaking pawn in a life-sized game of pin-the-tail-on-Piper, aren't I? Is there really even a prize? Is there? Or am I really the jackass you're making me feel like?"

Piper kicked at the air around her and couldn't help but laugh when her boot flew off of her foot and embedded itself into the muddy-soft walls of the cavern. She looked up, smirking at what little light she could see through the small hole she had fallen through.

"Jackass it is, then," she walked one shoe off to the place where it was stuck. She pulled it out of the wall and placed it on her foot. She scowled when mud oozed out of the shoe as her foot filled up the space inside it. She shook her head as she examined the bright side to her current predicament and realized she was no longer in the rain.

Slowly she made her way around the cavern. It was larger than she had originally thought. Looking back at the hole in the ceiling of the large grotto she surmised that it was too high for her to reach. As she surveyed the chamber, she noticed a hole in the wall on the darkest side of the cave.

She slipped the duffel bag, which she had managed to hang on to, off of her shoulder. She unzipped it and pulled out the flashlight she had been smart enough to pack.

She switched on the flashlight, slung the bag back onto her shoulder and made her way into the hole of the cavern. She saw immediately that its walls were made of rock.

"Tunnels? That's good. It could mean that there's a cave, right? And who am I asking? I'm alone on this God-forsaken island and I'm talking to whom? Myself?"

Piper paused from her rant momentarily as she considered her own questions, "Sure, I'm talking to myself, why not? I guess I beat the water element, huh?"

At that comment Piper sneezed several times, "Or not."

* * *

**A/N: Thank you to:**

'chuffy-barmed-oc' – Hopefully you liked this chapter, I did give a lot more info away…  
Rini08 – You kinda get an idea what the prize is but the next two chapters should definitely give more away.  
Quillsandbolts – Nice thinking, hopefully the next couple of chapters will reveal more, so keep reading!

Please click the little purple/blue/lilac colour button and tell me what you think! Or you could e-mail me at the address on my profile if you so wish :)


	4. Anything for her

**Disclaimer:** _I own nothing of Charmed :-( BUT; I do own the storyline :-)  
_**Summary: **_Piper has started a game. The prize is great, the loss is greater and loosing isn't an option..._  
**Timeline:**_ Leo is just a Whitelighter, no Chris or Wyatt; Cole has 'normal' evil powers but is not evil.  
_**Authors' notes:** _This is my first fan fiction so please be fairly nice!_  
**Feedback:** _Would be very much appreciated, as would constructive criticism._

**_The prize_  
_Chapter 4: Anything for her  
_**

_**

* * *

**_Paige woke up to blue orbs. She wondered if she had been orbing in her sleep but then she realized that Leo was standing at the end of the bed. She sat up quickly, confused. 

"Leo? What are you doing in my room?"

"I'm not. I'm in Piper's room and so are you."

"I am?" Paige hated being so incoherent in the mornings. She tried to remember the night before. Memories of the diary, Piper being gone, and Phoebe crying pierced her mind. She looked to her left and saw that Phoebe was still sleeping, curled into a ball like a child.

"Leo, any news on Piper?"

"No, no word. The Elders know something but they aren't talking. Did you guys find out anything by reading Piper's diary."

Paige looked down at the journal. She thought about everything they had read, from Piper's feelings about Leo and children, to her feelings about Paige and Phoebe. Piper's feelings were always balanced and thoughtful, never hateful toward the people in her life. Paige recalled being called sister throughout Piper's diary and never referred to as half-sister.

The only thing that bothered Paige about Piper's thoughts was her reference to Prue and how she knew she would get her back. Paige felt a surge of knowledge as though an idea was there, but it quickly faded as she glanced back to Leo.

"We didn't learn anything except that Piper is the most incredible, insightful person either of us have ever known."

Leo looked down at Phoebe, "She looks like she's been crying."

Paige nodded her head, "She was. We talked a lot last night Leo, while we were reading. We talked about Piper, but we also talked about Prue too. Do you know how much your wife misses Prue?"

Leo sat down in a chair in the corner of the room. He nodded, "I do. I think Piper would do anything to get Prue back."

That thought made Paige nervous, "Anything?"

"Well, anything but risking yours and Phoebe's lives."

Paige was hit again with the same persistent surge of knowing, "So…if there was a way she could get Prue back she wouldn't risk our lives?"

"That's what I said," Leo was becoming annoyed, "What are you thinking?"

Paige shook Phoebe's shoulder and Phoebe slowly opened her eyes, "What is it? Did we find her yet?"

"No, but Leo just gave me a pretty big clue to what's going on."

"He did?" Phoebe's voice was filled with sleep.

Confused, Leo asked, "I did?"

"Yep," Paige said with a look of hope and concern pressed into her soulful brown eyes. "Come on, get dressed Phoebe. We have a demon to summon."

* * *

Piper was glad that the rock passageways were not small. She hated being in confined spaces. She walked a little faster in hopes of getting out of the maze of stone tunnels. She had made so many turns and twists she knew she could be at the centre of the earth in no time. 

She made another turn in the corridors and entered a large open-spaced cavern. She turned her flashlight to see the ceiling's height. She was impressed to find that the ceiling was at least ten feet above her head. The walls were not visible with the flashlight, which Piper took to mean that the space was farther than her beam could reach.

She unzipped her bag and withdrew a bottle of water. Although she was still soaked to the bone, Piper knew that she needed the water to combat the cold she knew was coming. The water was sweet and fresh and it soothed not only Piper's parched throat, but her mind as well.

"I can do this. I know I can. I have to do this. If I don't win this game then my sisters' lives are at stake. If I don't win, if I don't survive then I will wake up back at the manor with no sisters and I will have to live a year before I can play it again. A whole year before I can play to win their lives back."

Piper swallowed another mouthful of water and talked to the air, "I wish I could have told them the truth about this game. Instead I may have hurt Paige beyond repair with the things I said to her. And instead of telling them the truth and having them help me, I simply put their lives up as collateral for the game. Is that fair of me? Is it? I put their lives up as a bet. I staked their lives for you. Was that so wrong of me, to risk them for you? Wouldn't they have done the same thing? I mean that's the end results of this game. I win, we all live happily ever after. I lose and you're all dead for a year until they let me play again. Is that a deal or what? Phoebe and Paige have risked their lives for me on a daily basis. Is it wrong of me to risk their lives for you? All I have to say is I better win this game, because I don't know if I can live a year without those two. I made it without you because I had them. But I won't make it without them. What do you think about that, Prue?"

Piper looked up into the nothingness of the cave, "I only wish you could hear me right now. I know you would know what to do."

Piper stood to continue her search for an exit, but as she took a step the ground began to shake.

"Oh…okay, that's not a good sign. That's an earthquake."

She could hear the roar of rocks tumultuously grinding against one another. She knew immediately that the shaking ground was a notice that the earth element was making its way into the game. Piper tried to run for the tunnel that had led her into the cavern but as she took another step a large boulder crashed to the ground in front of her. She let out a small scream as she backed away from the entrance and ran to the other side of the wall. The ceiling began to crash down around her. Solid rock chunks pelted her arms as she covered her head with them. She could feel the sting through her t-shirt.

The ground in the cave continued to shake for what seemed like an eternity. When it finally subsided, there was no sound coming from within the cavern. Its floor was littered with various-sized boulders, pebbles, and stones. Piper was nowhere to be seen.

* * *

**A/N: Thank you to:**

Rini08 – Glad you're enjoying it! And yeah, Walk The Line rocks:)

'chuffy-barmed-oc' – Fact or fiction is being written as we speak and Ithink you're gonna like it- its my favourite part of 'the game'! You get a lot more info about the rules of 'the game' in this chapter so I hope you likethem :)

Please click the little purple/blue/lilac colour button and tell me what you think! Or you could e-mail me at the address on my profile if you so wish :)


	5. Terms and conditions apply

**Disclaimer:** _I own nothing of Charmed :-( BUT; I do own the storyline :-)  
_**Summary: **_Piper has started a game. The prize is great, the loss is greater and loosing isn't an option..._  
**Timeline:**_ Leo is just a Whitelighter, no Chris or Wyatt; Cole has 'normal' evil powers but is not evil.  
_**Authors' notes:** _This is my first fan fiction so please be fairly nice!_  
**Feedback:** _Would be very much appreciated, as would constructive criticism._

**_The prize_  
_Chapter 5: Terms and conditions apply_**

* * *

Paige was getting angrier by the minute, "Leo, please! Just orb up there and tell the Elders that I'm on to them. Tell them I want one of them down here now!" 

"Oh right, Paige, like they're going to just jump when you snap your fingers," Leo was just as irate.

Phoebe suppressed a laugh and blanched when Leo and Paige both turned to face her, "Sorry. I just can't figure out what we're doing."

Paige sighed and sat back on the couch, "Okay. We all agree that the reason Piper left the way she did was to protect us, right?"

Phoebe and Leo both agreed, so Paige continued, "Okay, we read Piper's diary last night. What's the one thing she wants more than anything?"

Phoebe answered, unsteadily, "To get Prue back."

"Right. And we're all in agreement that Cole has something to do with this?"

Again Leo and Phoebe nodded, slowly following Paige's reasoning.

"Okay then…Prue's up there with our mom and Grams, right?"

"Yeah, so? What does this have to do with the Elders?" Phoebe was still following; dying to know the point Paige was getting to.

"Well, the only way for Piper to get Prue back is for the Elders to let her return, is that right Leo?"

Leo shrugged, "Yeah, sounds right. Paige I'm not really following you."

"I'm probably just reaching here, but Piper packed a pretty strange assortment of things last night, right? I'm thinking maybe she's on some kind of mission. An Elder's mission."

Phoebe stared intently at her little sister, "An Elder's mission? Okay, if everything Piper's doing is to get Prue back and the only people who can release Prue are the Elders then how does Cole fit in?"

Paige could see the light bulb in Leo's eyes as he nodded and said, "I'm with you now, Paige. Cole fits in because of the balance between good and evil. Anything that would benefit one side more than another has to be agreed upon by both sides. It's like the hollow. It's protected by both sides because either side could be destroyed by it."

"Exactly, now you're thinking, Leo. And Cole was the Source for a while. It's possible that Piper somehow struck a deal. Perhaps she goes on this mission and if she completes it then she wins Prue back."

"And if she doesn't win?" Phoebe asked the question that Paige didn't want to deal with.

* * *

The cavern was cold and dark. Piper coughed violently as she finally regained consciousness. Her head ached and her legs throbbed with the weight of a large chunk of the cavern ceiling. She sucked in a chilled breath of stale cave air and wondered how she got herself into the mess she was in.

She remembered the phases and realized that the earthquake was obviously the earth element of the second phase. She knew all she had to do was defeat fire and wind, and to get rid of the cold that was seeping into her lungs from the previous battle in the rain.

She mentally checked each body part and realized nothing was broken, simply stuck. She knew that was a stroke of pure luck. Piper couldn't see anything in the cavern. Her flashlight had been knocked away from her hand and her bag was just beyond her reach. She smelled a faint but familiar odour hovering in the stale air.

Piper steadied her hands, ready to use her exploding power to get the boulder off of her legs. She took a deep breath and let her hands fly forward. As if in slow motion, Piper pulled her hands back to her chest because in the split second between deciding to blow the rock up and making the motion to do so, Piper realized the cause of the odour.

"You've got to be kidding me! Natural gas? Oh that's simply ridiculous!"

Piper immediately realized that if she caused one spark then the entire cavern would be in flames. She laid her head back down to think. Her mind drifted from devising a plan of escape to thoughts of her sisters. She missed them.

* * *

"Cole!" Phoebe hated having to call him into their home, but she knew she had to in order to get Piper back safely.

Paige watched as Phoebe continued to call for her ex-husband. Night had fallen outside, while Leo had gone to the Elders to get them to confirm their suspicions. Paige hated having to see Cole as much as Phoebe did. Finally, Cole appeared in his golden fade, and looked with apprehension upon the face of his ex-wife.

"Phoebe? What's wrong?"

"Don't play innocent, Cole. We know you have something to do with Piper leaving last night. What's going on?"

Cole stood very still and watched Paige and Phoebe with a cautious eye, "Phoebe I don't know what you're talking about."

"Cut the crap demon-boy we know that you took our big sister and we want to know what we have to do to get her back," Paige hated to mince words.

Cole lowered his head. He wanted to tell them everything. But until the Elders gave Leo the information first he wasn't allowed to say anything to the sisters.

"I can't say anything about where she is, or why. All I can tell you is that no matter what happens, _Piper_ will come out of it alive."

Paige took notice of his emphasis on Piper's name. She quickly deduced the meaning of his tone.

"Piper will come out of it alive, but we might not? Is that what you mean?"

Cole looked uneasily at Paige and nodded, "I can't say any more than that."

"Cole, do the rules of her mission state that Paige and I have to be put up as collateral?"

Again, Cole nodded, but said nothing.

"Then if Piper loses, Phoebe and I die?"

"If Piper loses, then yes, for one year you will be dead."

"One year? What happens after one year?" Phoebe hated what she had heard so far, but she needed to know everything.

"I can't tell you," Cole thought about calling for Leo, but he saw the familiar blue orbs and was thankful that he wouldn't have to.

"I can tell you," Leo looked at the two youngest Halliwell's and frowned.

"Leo? What did They tell you?" Phoebe could barely control the fear in her voice.

"Our theory was right. She's playing to win back Prue. They said that if Piper fails this mission then…"

"Then Phoebe and I die. Yeah, we got that part figured out, Leo. But you know what, I want to have faith in my sister, so what happens when she wins?"

"Prue lives. She gets to come home."

Phoebe and Paige were speechless. The idea that Prue had a chance to live along them again was overwhelming and too much to take in for Phoebe and Paige.

"Okay. If Piper wins," Phoebe received a stern look from Paige, "When Piper wins this game, and Prue gets to come home. Will she remember anything about being gone?"

Leo and Cole looked at one another, but Cole was the brave one, "There's something you don't know."

Phoebe could tell she wouldn't like what she was about to hear, "What don't we know, Cole?"

Cole sighed, "As a condition on the game, Prue was given to the side of evil."

"What?" Paige didn't even try to conceal her surprise.

Leo stepped in to help Cole explain, "The Elders just told me that she was given life over six months ago and turned over to the side of evil."

"Leo? When you say turned over to the side of evil do you mean she was given life and now she's evil?"

"No Phoebe it's not like that," Leo answered.

Paige understood what was going on, "No, Phoebe, he's saying that she was given over to evil so they could do what they wanted with her for six months. But I don't understand why the Elders would do that to her. Why would they give her life just so she could be beaten down?"

It was Cole's turn to field the question, "Prue was the strongest of the Charmed Ones. It would be considered unbalanced if she were to come back to you as a healthy person, physically…or mentally."

"Mentally? Are you saying that you've messed with her mind?" Phoebe could scarcely speak through her fresh-fallen tears.

"Not me, Phoebe. I'm no longer evil," Cole tried uselessly to defend himself.

"Not now, maybe, but then you were the one that set the rules to this game, weren't you?" Phoebe's words were a knife in his heart. Cole hung his head in shame.

"What about Piper?" Paige didn't want to take the time to check her emotions. She just wanted to get the big sister that she had grown to know and love back.

"What do you mean?" Leo asked.

"What do I mean? I mean will she be mentally harmed? Will they mess with her mind as well?"

Cole found the words, "If she loses this game, she will lose you. You know what losing Prue did to her…imagine what would happen if she were to lose all three of you."

* * *

**A/N: Thank you to:**

Rini08 – I thought I'd be extra nice and give you another chapter! Glad you're enjoying it :)

'chuffy-barmed-oc' – I updated! How nice am I? Two updates in one day- go me XD I promise 'fact or fiction' will be coming soon!

**Please, please, PLEASE**click the little purple/blue/lilac colour button and tell me what you think! Or you could e-mail me at the address on my profile if you so wish :)


	6. A spark or two

**Disclaimer:** _I own nothing of Charmed :-( BUT; I do own the storyline :-)  
_**Summary: **_Piper has started a game. The prize is great, the loss is greater and loosing isn't an option..._  
**Timeline:**_ Leo is just a Whitelighter, no Chris or Wyatt; Cole has 'normal' evil powers but is not evil.  
_**Authors' notes:** _This is my first fan fiction so please be fairly nice!_  
**Feedback:** _Would be very much appreciated, as would constructive criticism._

**_The prize_  
_Chapter 5: A spark or two_**

* * *

"Prue! God I wish you could hear me right now. Wherever you are I want you to know that this is worth it. But if you could lend me a little hand here, maybe give me some help on how to move this rock without causing a spark…that would be greatly appreciated, you know?" 

Piper waited as though she might actually receive an answer. She simply sighed when she heard nothing but the faint trickle of water from somewhere above her. The cavern was black with darkness. There was no light from anywhere. She could only imagine the size of the rock that pinned her to the cold rock surface of the cave. She had dealt with water and was still battling the cold it left in her, and she was now battling the earth. The possibility of fire loomed in the ever-growing stench of the natural gas. All that was left was wind, and Piper was thankful that the wind couldn't get to her in the caves.

Piper began to formulate a plan in her mind. She knew the only way to remove the obstacle on her legs was to blow it up. She wondered if she could blow it up and then immediately freeze it, stopping the flames of and explosion before they could occur.

Piper steadied her hands once again. Ready to blow up and then freeze the outcome. She wasn't sure if she would be quick enough but she had to take a chance because the fumes from the gas were beginning to make her dizzy.

With a flick of her wrists the rock shattered into the air sending rock fragments upward into the cavern. Piper saw the spark before she had a chance to freeze the room. Panic got the best of her as she hesitated for a mere tenth of a second. Fire erupted through the cavern. Piper threw her hands up as quickly as possible to freeze the room. She could feel the heat of a flame as it stopped a single inch from her face.

She couldn't help but laugh as she stood up, shaking herself free of loose rock debris. With the flames as her only source of light, Piper could see that there was a hole not too far above her head. She knew she could crawl through it.

She slowly made her way onto some rocks, pulled herself onto the wall and made it safely to the hole. It was small when she got into it but she could army crawl through it. She crawled no more than ten feet when she felt cool air on her face. She rushed out of the hole and landed with a soft thud on the ground. She scrambled to her feet and ran as quickly as she could, knowing her freeze on the flames would soon wear off.

She was able to make it deep into the woods when she finally heard the explosion and felt the ground shake beneath her. She was relieved to feel the ground beneath her when the shaking finally stopped. What did not make her feel any relief, however, was the unsettling quiet she heard. The quiet was followed immediately by a hurricane-strength gust of wind. Piper knew that the explosion had caused the wind, but she wasn't sure how. All she knew was that she was sailing through the air at inhuman speed and there was nothing to stop her flight but the hillside she was flung into.

The wind sent fragments of trees and rock sailing toward Piper. She had nowhere to go as the wind trapped her against the grassy hill. She tried to curl into a ball but she could not move her body. She closed her eyes, and therefore was unable to see the tree limb hurtling toward her. It impaled her shoulder with brutal force. As she let out a scream and blood began to seep from the wound, the wind stopped. Piper could only cry and pray that unconsciousness would take her over. It did not come, but the pain did, in various degrees of intensity.

Piper knew she couldn't call for help. She knew that if she did then her sisters would not live. She also knew that if she died on the island then her sisters would also die. She was beginning to give up hope when a face appeared above her. Like an angel, hope arrived in the form of her mother.  
"Mom?" Piper's voice was wracked with the sound of agony.

"Shhh…it's me darling. Don't move too much, we'll get you out of this."

Piper sat completely still as her mother, in corporeal form, began to shimmy the limb from it's embedded position in Piper's shoulder. Piper writhed with the ache but remained quiet. Within minutes, Patty had pulled the limb free of Piper's shoulder. She gently laid her hands over the open wound and waited. Piper could feel the warmth from within and then the warm abler light.

Piper immediately felt better and then looked up at her mother in shock, "You're a Whitelighter?"

"No honey, I'm not. I have permission to heal you once during this mission."

Piper stood haphazardly on the grassy hillside. She rubbed her shoulder that was a little stiff but no longer causing any pain. The wound was sealed.

"Once, huh? Well, then I'll be careful." Piper began to climb up the hill, curious as to what waited on the other side. She turned to her mother who stared intently towards the woods.

"Is Prue here, mom?" Piper's eyebrows raised in suspicion. She knew the next phase of the game could start at anytime.

"Honey, you know Prue isn't here?"

"Ah…fiction. But if you are here to hurt me, then why did you heal me?"

Piper looked as Patty turned her eyes away from the next to the oldest Halliwell sister and began to shake her head, "Piper, what on earth are you talking about?"

"Cole told me the rules. He told me that the third phase of this game is fact or fiction. People appear who I think are real, but they are actually out to get me."

Patty looked thoughtfully at Piper, "Then wouldn't it be safe to assume that those you think are out to get you, could actually be out to help you? From here on out Piper, it's up to you to decide…who is real, who is not. I can only wish you luck and the knowledge that you don't have any more chances to be healed. Now…your body will be forced to fight whatever hurts you endure. I love you darling."

And with those words, Patty disappeared in the blue orbs. Piper stood motionless on the hillside trying to figure out where to go next.

* * *

Paige stared menacingly at Cole, "I can't believe you got Piper into this." 

Cole struggled to look into her eyes, knowing the pain he had once caused her, "It was a different time, a year ago. A lot has changed since then."

Leo's voice was dim, soft, "Except for Piper's determination to bring back Prue."

Phoebe remained quiet on the couch next to Paige. She felt cold inside as though she could feel that Piper was miserably alone. Even snuggled next to Paige, she felt a feeling of loneliness. She had nothing to say. She only had the overwhelming sensation to hold onto Paige as if she were the only sister she had left. She suddenly felt very abandoned by Piper. As though Prue's life were more meaningful than hers or Paige's. Phoebe felt her body tremble with a chill.

Paige noticed Phoebe shaking next to her and she wrapped her arms around her older sister. She was not used to the closeness she was feeling with Phoebe. She wondered if Phoebe was experiencing the same feeling of rejection that she herself had felt so much growing up knowing she had been adopted. The feeling of being left behind was not a feeling someone could quickly over come. Paige knew that Phoebe must have been experiencing something similar because one sister had chosen to risk her life for another.

Phoebe felt herself relax slightly in Paige's arms, enough so that she could find her voice, "So what can we do to help Piper, besides sit here on the couch and whine about it?"

"You can't do anything," Cole's voice was solemn, apologetic.

"There's got to be something," Paige looked pleadingly at Leo.

Leo shook his head, "No. As part of the rules, Piper must make this alone. If she can complete all of the tasks in seven days…then she and Prue will be free to leave."

"Free to leave what, exactly?" Phoebe was curious as to where Piper and Prue were. If she had at least an idea of where they went then maybe she could concentrate hard enough to get a premonition.

"They're on an island. Sort of a neutral place that exists solely for missions like these."

"Cole. When can we see her again?" Paige's voice could not hide the desperation she was feeling knowing that one of the two most important people alive in her life was missing in action.

"We can go to the island in five and a half days," Cole sounded business-like, as though he were a real estate agent discussing property.

Phoebe sighed loudly and leaned further into Paige, intertwining her hands with those of her little sisters, "How will we die, if she doesn't win?"

Leo and Cole were quiet. Paige closed her eyes. And Phoebe merely waited for an answer, an answer that never came.

* * *

**A/N: Thank you to:**

Rini08 – Glad I made your day! Hope it continues to make future ones XD

'chuffy-barmed-oc' – Thank you! I love making up chapter titles hehe! I think you'll like then ending, I kinda know what I'm gonna write (I have the structure) and it is definitely…interesting! You'll just have to wait and see :

paige25 – Glad you're enjoying it, here's your update!

willriley01 – Thank you for the compliment and I hope you like this chapter!

HollyShadow – I'm really glad you like it! Hopefully you'll like this chapter enough to review **hint hint** XD

xxasktheangels – Thank you so much for reviewing both chapters! I'm pretty certain my idea is completely original and I'm glad you agree! I think it's important to remember that Piper was probably (in my opinion) not any more closer to Prue than Phoebe but I believe she needed her far more than Phoebe. So that's why I've written that Piper would risk Paige and Phoebe's lives for Prue. Also, Prue hasn't been turned evil, she's been given to evil (they basically have toyed with her, torture I guess) sorry for the confusion :

SENNAR – Here's your update! XD

**Please, please, PLEASE **click the little purple/blue/lilac colour button and tell me what you think! Or you could e-mail me at the address on my profile if you so wish :)


	7. Real dreams

**Disclaimer:** _I own nothing of Charmed :-( BUT; I do own the storyline :-)  
_**Summary: **_Piper has started a game. The prize is great, the loss is greater and loosing isn't an option..._  
**Timeline:**_ Leo is just a Whitelighter, no Chris or Wyatt; Cole has 'normal' evil powers but is not evil.  
_**Authors' notes:** _This is my first fan fiction so please be fairly nice!_  
**Feedback:** _Would be very much appreciated, as would constructive criticism._

**_The prize_  
_Chapter 7: Real dreams_**

* * *

Piper stopped and drew in a long refreshing breath as she reached the top of the hill. As she finally let her eyes gaze out over the valley below, the view astounded her and left her with a profound feeling of safety. Then Cole's voice rang in her ears. 

"_There will be people, or things presented to you and some of them will be real, however some of them will not be real and will only be out to kill you. It will be up to you to decide which it is."_

She wondered to herself if a green valley with a beautiful river running through the centre of it could be a fictional thing out to kill her. She hoisted her duffel bag over her shoulder and shrugged, knowing she still had to more healings to help her out. It was, perhaps, a false sense of security, but it urged Piper forward nonetheless.

As she reached the centre of the valley, she realized that the cold she had felt coming on, was gone. Placing her bag on the ground she began the search for firewood. Her stomach growled in unquenchable hunger and her eyes pulled with the strain of fatigue. She pulled the box of matches from her bag and quickly got the fire started. The reflection of the fire lit up her face and warmed her from the inside out. Piper lied down with her head on top of the duffel bag. She knew she needed to rest. And night was falling.

When she opened her eyes, voices were sneaking into her ears. She sat straight up and let her eyes adjust to the vast darkness. Above her, stars beckoned one another with each twinkling gleam. Piper's heart nearly jumped from her chest when she realized the voices were getting closer.

She looked at the smouldering ashes of the fire. Knowing that the fire must have drawn whomever it was near. Piper let out a slow restorative breath and moved to a crouched position. Her eyes adjusted quickly to the blackness of night. Two figures loomed nearby, each carrying weapons. Piper's heart skipped a beat, as she was able to make out the faces of Paige and Phoebe.

Piper's first thoughts were of attacking these fictional sisters, but then she heard their voices.

"Piper?" Phoebe questioned carefully.

"Thank God! We've been looking for you everywhere." Paige's voice was filled with relief.

She knew that they were her sisters.

Piper knew that Phoebe was angry. She could see the hurt in her eyes, "Phoebe?"

Phoebe said nothing, but instead wrapped her arms around Piper, "I'm just glad you're okay."

Piper knew that wasn't all that Phoebe had on her mind, "I know you think that I'm trading you for Prue, Pheebs, but it isn't like that. It isn't."

Paige tried to help, "We just want to let you know we love you and we're behind you. Even if you couldn't trust us enough to tell us what was going on."

Piper looked at Paige and could tell that the youngest sister was hurting just as much as Phoebe, but she knew that years of covering pain had made it less obvious in Paige's eyes.

"It wasn't a matter of trust, Paige. It was a matter of needing Prue."

Phoebe allowed the tears to fall, "A matter of needing her more than you need us?"

Piper flinched as Phoebe turned to Paige and buried her face in the youngest Halliwell's shoulder. Piper could tell that Paige was being strong for Phoebe and that she had made herself a stranger to both her younger sisters.

"It's not like that Phoebe," Piper reached out a hand and touched Phoebe's back. Phoebe pulled away from her, hiding behind Paige. Paige lowered her eyes to the ground.

Phoebe spoke loudly and with force, "Don't touch me Piper. You're willing to throw away our lives for her. Paige and I are here for you. We've been here. We aren't going anywhere…well…we weren't until you decided to gamble our lives…for Prue."

Piper allowed her own eyes to flood with crystalline orbs of fluid. She blinked them back, "Phoebe, Paige. I'm not doing this for me. I'm doing this for all of us. Do you know what they're doing to Prue?"

It was Paige's turn to speak, "Yes, we do. And we also know that had you not made that 'deal' then she would still be at peace, in heaven, with Grams and our mom."

Piper turned her eyes upwards to the heavens. She knew they were right. That had she left it alone, Prue wouldn't be in any pain. Mentally or physically.

"I was in a different state of mind when I made that deal. I barely knew you, Paige."

"Well, you knew me enough to put my life up for collateral didn't you?" Paige turned away from Piper.

Piper was now staring at Paige's back. And Phoebe was staring intently to the ground.

"So I get no support in this?" Piper's voice was shaky. She never realized how much she would be hurting her younger sisters.

Phoebe finally met Piper's eyes. Her expression had softened and Piper could feel the warmth in her eyes. The love she had almost believed was gone, was still there.

"If you can bring back Prue. And you can come home soon to me and Paige, and you can keep us alive…then you have my full support."

Phoebe readily hugged Piper. Piper wanted to stay that way forever, but she knew she had to reach out to Paige. If they weren't going to support one another then there was no way that she could make it out of there with all of her sisters' lives in tact.

"Paige? Are you with me?"

She laid her hands on Paige's back and could feel the steady shaking. Piper knew that Paige was crying silently to herself, as she knew she had many times since finding out she had sisters.

"Don't cry sweetie. Please. You have to know that I love you very much."

"Then why, Piper? Why would you use us to get her back?"

"I'm not using you Paige. You were just part of the deal, a temporary part of the deal. And I'm not just getting Prue back for me. I'm getting her back for Phoebe. And for you."

"For me?" Paige's voice did not mask her confusion.

Piper let her hand rest on Paige's head as she moved around her to face her. Her hand traced Paige's cheek and then rested on Paige's arm.

"Honey. You've been unable to feel like you fit in here since you came to us. That's because you've been trying to figure out if you are Prue's replacement, or our little sister. I know that when Prue gets back, when she's well again and we're all together, you'll be able to see for the first time how much we love you. And how much we need you."

Piper could tell that Paige's defences had melted. She let her arms encircle her baby sister and pulled her close, "I love you guys."

Phoebe smiled, "We love you too. But we have to go."

Piper's smile faded, "What? What do you mean?"

"We were only allowed to see you in a dream. So that we wouldn't be able to help," Paige's voice showed her regret in having to go so soon.

"Bye Piper. And please, please succeed, because honestly the idea of spending a year in hell being tortured…and worst of all, being away from you…well frankly it sucks," Phoebe gave Piper another quick hug.

"Yeah, ditto…are those my jeans?" Paige smiled.

"Go. Get out of here before I cry," Piper smiled as she waved them off and watched as they disappear into the darkness. She knew that they still had their reservations, but she also knew that she had their support. She laid back down on her duffel bag after she stirred up the fire again. She closed her eyes, smiling.

* * *

Paige woke up on Piper's bed next to Phoebe. She could see Phoebe looking at her in the dark.

"Do you think she'll be okay?" Phoebe's voice was strained with concern.

Paige couldn't find her answer as tears broke to the surface. She began to weep and was comforted as Phoebe wrapped her arms around her.

"It's okay, Paige, she'll make it through this damn so-called mission and life will be so different. And after some time, you'll see that it can even be better than it is now."

Paige fell asleep, her head buried in Phoebe's shoulder. She hoped for the best, and knew that if any of them could pull it off, it would be Piper. But she wasn't sure Piper was ready to take to task what she might find when she finally saved Prue…Paige wasn't what would be left of Prue to save.

* * *

A/N: Sorry I haven't updated in ages, school has been awful, stressful and really busy! If anyone could check out my other story 'Unearthly hours' (it's a very short one-shot that I found quite funny to write!) I would really, really appreciate it! 

Thank you to:

Soaringmunkymuffins – I love your name! I'm glad you love 'The prize' so much, I hope you enjoy this next chapter!

HollyShadow - Yes, I can reveal that, that was the real Patty. Fact or fiction is really soon, but I wanted to add in some much needed sister bonding first!

will riley01 – Glad you liked my title! Thank you so much for your compliments, they are VERY much appreciated XD

Rini08 – Glad you're loving it; I love reading your reviews! I'm afraid that a sequel is not going to happen, but this story won't need me. Don't worry, there's a long way to go yet (my story outline says 35,000+ more words) that number scared me quite a lot!

'chuffy-barmed-oc' – Lol, no it's not good! Sorry if it was confusing, I tried to make it as un-confusing as possible, I think I failed a bit though / Hope you like this chapter, some much needed sister bonding!


	8. Back to reality

**Disclaimer:** _I own nothing of Charmed :-( BUT; I do own the storyline :-)  
_**Summary: **_Piper has started a game. The prize is great, the loss is greater and loosing isn't an option..._  
**Timeline:**_ Leo is just a Whitelighter, no Chris or Wyatt; Cole has 'normal' evil powers but is not evil.  
_**Authors' notes:** _This is my first fan fiction so please be fairly nice!_  
**Feedback:** _Would be very much appreciated, as would constructive criticism._

**The prize  
Chapter 5: Back to reality **

* * *

Piper awoke to the brightest sky she had ever seen in her life. Her eyes ached with the intensity. She quickly called to mind that she was in the third phase of the mission, the fact or fiction phase. Things that were presented to her may or may not be real. It was up to her to figure it out. 

Opening her duffel bag, Piper withdrew a bottle of water and took a small gulp. She knew that she had to reserve her supplies for at least five more days.

"Okay. So, now where do I go? What is real, what isn't? I have no idea. So…the only question to answer, is where do I begin?"

Piper looked around. She knew that before too long she would grow tired of talking to herself. Her heart ached for Phoebe and Paige already. She silently thanked the Elders for the precious minutes she got to ease her little sisters' fears. She though about Paige and wondered how Prue would feel about her. She knew in her heart that Prue would love and accept and protect the youngest Halliwell. What Piper didn't know, was how Prue was going to recover from being gone and being tortured while trying to deal with a brand new sibling.

Piper began to walk toward the woods on the opposite side of the valley. They were dark and scary, but for some reason, Piper felt drawn to them. She wondered if it wasn't the woods calling her, but rather Prue's soul. The idea of Prue being held somewhere in the woods motivated Piper to move faster. She wanted nothing more than to hold her big sister in her arms and to take her home where they could all heal.

As she entered the woods a screech resounded through the heavy limbs of the massive oaks. Piper's heart skipped several beats. She shuddered as she became conscious of eyes watching her. The scream came again. Piper recognized it as pure pain. And then in a sudden solemn beat of time, Piper knew that the scream belonged to Prue.

She raced toward the sound. Her duffel bag beat her back with each long stride. Again the scream echoed off the trees and landed in Piper's ear. Piper turned toward the scream. She knew in her heart that it was not fiction, but a painfully real scream. She knew her sister was in trouble and she had no idea where to find her.

She was getting ready to call out Prue's name when she literally ran into a man. The force of impact between the two bodies in motion, threw Piper backwards several yards. She landed with a thud, her body jarring in ache. Her breath flew away from her as she tried to regain her senses. Once again the scream echoed. She turned her attention to the man with whom she had collided. He smiled at her. His eyes were kind and generous. And his smile was familiar. And that's when she realized that she was staring at the one man that had ever loved her sister as much as she and Phoebe had.

"Andy?"

* * *

Phoebe stirred awake in the early morning hours. She watched Paige sleeping and silently thanked the powers that be for letting them know Paige. The year that had passed with her in it, had been bearable, filled with love, and laughter. Phoebe hadn't felt that in a long time. She sat in the chair next to the bed. Contemplatively she rested her chin on her fist and continued to watch Paige slumber.

Paige fought hard not to see the things that she saw in her dreams. Screams of pain and anguish wracked her every sleeping second. The nightmares had begun six months earlier, and now she knew why. She was connected to Prue. She could feel the pain, mentally and physically, that Prue was experiencing. There had never been a vision of it, merely knowledge, until that morning.

She could see a room. It was filled with dirt and darkness. A cage was at its core. And within the metal entrapment was her oldest sister. Paige's eyes fixated on the thin form of Prue. She could see bruises where beautiful alabaster skin should have been. She could hear whimpering when she should have heard the brave voice of a protector, and oldest sibling. Paige stepped toward the cage, her hand outreached. She wanted nothing more than to touch her sister and to let her know that Piper was on her way.

Paige wasn't sure if the nightmare was real, or just her imagination giving her a picture of her worst fears for Prue. But then those blue eyes she had heard so much about met her deep brown ones and she knew that it was reality and not imagination. Her oldest sister's face was not touched. There were no bruises, and that surprised Paige. But there were tears, so many tears.

"Prue? How can I get you out of here?"

She backed away from Paige, leaving the youngest sister feeling inadequate and useless. She stepped closer and heard Prue's voice, unmistakably frightened.

"Please don't hurt me."

Paige's heart broke as she watched the allegedly strongest Halliwell sister break down into sobs.

"Prue, I won't hurt you. Please don't cry. I want to help you."

Paige could barely comprehend Prue's words as she spoke through her weeping, "You will hurt me. You are only something that they created."

"No. I'm not," Paige said aloud. To herself she wondered if the evil side of the world had indeed pulled her into Prue's world.

As Paige was thinking about it, a large muscular man walked by her. She knew by the look on his face that he was one of Prue's torturers. She flinched as the man lifted a black-booted foot and slammed it into the cage making it rattle loudly. The shivering figure within, cried out in fear.

"Somebody help me!"

* * *

A yell of anguish distracted Piper from her should-have-been brother-in-law. She felt an urge to rush towards the scream of her oldest sister, but she had to face the task in front of her. She turned back to the former police officer and their gazes locked together. Andy Trudeau. She carefully studied his face and knew that even though his eyes were just as sincere as they ever were, he could be fiction. He could be out to hurt her.

"Piper? Is that you?"

Piper merely nodded waiting for more information before giving in to the urge to hug him and to ask him if he had any information about where the dark side was keeping Prue.

"I've been stuck on this damn island for four years. What in the hell is going on?"

It was only a flash of emotion that she noticed, but it was that flash that told Piper that the Andy that stood before her, was not the Andy she and her sisters knew. It was a millisecond flash of anger. Piper remembered that no matter how hurt or upset Andy was, anger never showed in his eyes. It was always just love and concern.

"You're fiction."

"What? I'm what?"

"You're fiction. You are only out to hurt my sisters and me. Don't make me kill you. Run away while you can."

Andy smiled a wicked grin and took a step closer to Piper. Piper's heart began to rush with adrenalin. She knew that she was in for a battle, but it was battle she knew, for Prue's sake, she would win.

* * *

**A/N: **I know its been ages, but in my defence, I have been writing! Honest, I've basically re-written the next three chapters and I've changed my story outline completely. Basically, I had far too much talk and not enough action. So I estimate there's about eight thousand words left of this story, so roughly 7 chapters left!

**A/N 2: Thank you to:**

willriley01 – Glad you enjoyed it, I think the previous chapter was one of my favourites to write. I love exploring the sisters' relationship deeper, especially Paige, as she is my favourite sister!

Hmm…Piper punching Cole…sounds good- I'll see if I can fit that in! Maybe Phoebe should knock him out…? I will definitely consider it!

HollyShadow – Okay, okay: action it is! Next chapter, the fight with Piper and 'Andy'!

'chuffy-barmed-oc' – Glad you liked the last chapter, your review is very, very, VERY much appreciated!

"She hoped for the best, and knew that if any of them could pull it off, it would be Piper. But she wasn't sure Piper was ready to take to task what she might find when she finally saved Prue…Paige wasn't what would be left of Prue to save."

willriley01 answered that one for me- "Paige was confused about what kind of mental condition Prue would be in when Piper won. If she'd be all depressed or evil, etc."

Sorry for the confusion though!

Soaringmunkymuffins– Hehe, I took your advice- my French class is now my fan fiction class XD Here's your update :)

Rini08 – Thanks very, very, VERY much for your compliments XD Feel free to say them anytime! Hehe :)

SENNAR – Hope you liked this chapter :)

**Please, please, PLEASE **click the little purple/blue/lilac colour button and tell me what you think! Or you could e-mail me at the address on my profile if you so wish :)


	9. Sisterly bonds

**Disclaimer: I own nothing of Charmed :( BUT; I do own the storyline :)  
Summary: Piper has started a game. The prize is great, the loss is greater and loosing isn't an option...  
Timeline: Leo is just a Whitelighter, no Chris or Wyatt; Cole has 'normal' evil powers but is not evil.  
Authors notes: This is my first fan fiction so please be fairly nice!  
Reviews: Would be very much appreciated, as would constructive criticism.  
**

**

* * *

**

**The prize  
Chapter 9: Sisterly bonds**

**

* * *

**Phoebe continued to watch Paige and recognized Paige's face as someone who was having a nightmare. She had seen that face on Piper many a night after Prue's death. 

"Death?" Phoebe said to herself. Prue's not dead, she thought to herself. She knew that Piper's actions, although a little on the impulsive side, meant that Prue was not dead. Phoebe tried to wrap her mind around that wholly as she continued to watch Paige sleep.

"I'm here," Paige's voice was shaky and insecure as she tried her best to let Prue know that she was no longer alone.

The man who had kicked Prue's cage had opened it and yanked Prue out of it. Paige half wished to be awake so that she wouldn't have to see what pain Prue would endure, but she mostly wanted to stand right next to Prue and try her best to convey, spiritually, that she was by her side and she wanted nothing more than to be with her.

The man threw Prue against the wall. Paige thought for a second that she could hear the breath leaving Prue's body. She watched as the man ran his hand over the length of Prue's body, stopping at places that Paige knew terrorised Prue. Paige did not even try to hold back her tears. She knew that her sister was being tortured but the things she had imagined were nothing in comparison to what depths Prue's pain ran.

As Prue screamed so did Paige. She bolted upright in the bed, flailing and kicking. Her mind was screaming at decibels undiscovered. Her tears ran like a river, and her arms struck out at the air in front of her. She felt hands as shaky as her own grasp her upper arms.

"Paige? Paige? Wake up. Wake up! It was a nightmare, Paige, wake up!"

Paige's next scream caught in her throat as she realized that it was Phoebe who was holding on to her. She didn't even try to hold back her sobs.

"Honey? What was the dream about?"

"Prue. She's being hurt so badly," Paige could scarcely get the words out.

"You dreamt about Prue?"

* * *

Andy walked in a circle around Piper. Dropping her duffel bag to the ground, Piper followed him only with her eyes. She was not about to let the fear that was beginning to overwhelm her, show itself to her adversary. 

"What are you pacing for, Andy? Afraid of little old me?"

He scoffed at the thought; "I could break you in half, Piper."

Piper wanted to laugh back at him, but she wasn't sure what this Andy was capable of doing to her.

"So…want to go ahead and get this battle underway, or are you going to bore me to death?" Piper wasn't sure where she was finding her strength to be a smart ass, but she wasn't complaining.

"Let's rumble," Andy's voice was sadistically anxious.

Piper rolled her eyes and ducked as Andy swung the first punch. Piper had no idea how she knew that his fist was coming toward her, but her sense told her to duck. And as though at the same time, her senses told her to throw an uppercut punch to Andy's chin on her way back up.

She winced in pain as the bones of her knuckle cracked against his chin almost lifting him off the ground. Andy flew backwards and landed with a thud to the forest ground. Piper laughed but then quickly stopped when she realized that pain was surging through her hand. She knew that she must have broken a finger.

"Damn it!" She was beyond angry. As Andy tried to stand up, Piper delivered kick after kick to his body and face. Within seconds Andy exploded in a fury of flames. Piper had defeated her first fact/fiction test. She wondered how many more she'd have to get through before she started the next and final phase.

She shook her head in dismay as the flames that had been Andy sputtered out. Sitting on a fallen tree she shivered as sunlight barely broke through the ceiling of the forest. She knew that the morning was waning and the afternoon was approaching.

"Prue!" Her own voice surprised her as she yelled out for her oldest sister.

"Prue! I know you're around here somewhere. Just hold on. I'm going to get to you and get you out of here."

* * *

"Phoebe, you don't want to know," Paige was shaking at the things she had seen in her dream. 

Phoebe had been trying to get her to talk about the dream for fifteen minutes, but Paige had remained adamant that Phoebe didn't really need to know the details.

"Paige, why are you dreaming about Prue? And how long have you been having these dreams?"

"I don't know, and six months."

"What? Six months you've been having these dreams and you didn't think it might be important to tell Piper or me?"

"Well, gee, Pheebs, I thought you might react badly…kind of like you are now."

Phoebe sucked in a calming breath and laid her head on the table. They had relocated to the kitchen for coffee. Paige remained with her head in her hands, elbows on the table. The coffee mug sat just below her nose so that with every breath she inhaled the aroma of a hazelnut blend.

Phoebe mumbled into the table surface, "I'm sorry Paige. You're right."

"I'm what? I couldn't hear you with your face stuck into the table like that."

"I said," Phoebe's voice became clearer as she lifted her head and as Paige lifted hers as well, "I'm sorry, you're right."

Paige smiled slightly, "That's new."

Phoebe shook her head and stood to stretch. Paige looked at her sister's tired eyes, "I'll tell you about the dreams. But don't say I didn't warn you."

Phoebe sat back down to listen to Paige excruciatingly difficult-to-hear recount of the nightmares she had been having.

"And the one I woke up with this morning. It was the worst yet."

"How so?"

"Because, in all the previous dreams, I could only hear what was happening. That was bad enough. But this morning, I saw her. I saw Prue and…it was so real. I think I was actually, spiritually there with her."

Paige could see the questions in Phoebe's eyes.

"Why didn't I get these dreams, Paige? I mean I'm the one with premonitions, the power of visions. Why didn't I get them?"

"Maybe it's the Whitelighter in me getting the call."

"Then why didn't Leo receive the call?"

"He doesn't have a sisterly bond with Prue?"

"Neither do you," Phoebe regretted the words as soon as she said them.

"Ouch," it was the only thing Paige could think of to say.

"Honey, I didn't mean anything by it, I swear. I'm just curious to know why you have been getting these nightmares and not someone who knew Prue and was close to her."

Paige grimaced, "I may not have known Prue the way you and Piper did but I know her in a different way."

Phoebe raised her eyebrows in interest, "How's that?"

"Could be that I talk to her every single day."

"Excuse me?"

Paige knew that Piper wasn't the only one keeping secrets. She knew Phoebe probably had a few of her own.

"Phoebe, I talk to Prue everyday, through prayer."

"I never knew you were religious."

"Isn't everyone?"

"No, atheists aren't."

"Ah…but my definition of religion would make atheists religious. Religion is to believe in something with zealous devotion. An atheist's religion is the belief that no God exists. Therefore they pursue a religion, sort of. That's why I think prayer should be allowed in schools…because if a kid wants to pray that's no more religious than the person who doesn't want to pray because he doesn't believe in God. So…basically all the laws are saying is that it's better not to believe in something than to believe in something. Kind of sad when you think about it."

"Paige!"

"What?"

Phoebe had a look of complete impatience and disconcert on her face, "Could you change the subject back to what we were discussing. You were saying that when you pray you talk to Prue…does she talk back to you."

"I don't know."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I hear…things. But they aren't voices. They aren't really sounds. It's more like feelings."

"What kind of feelings?"

"Like parts of my heart are filling up with love."

"That's Prue all right. Even when she's furious she loves you."

"So what do we do?"

"Wait and pray that Piper can bring Prue home to us, alive and well."

"She'll be alive Phoebe…but she won't be well."

* * *

**A/N:** I have no excuses. Please forgive me (I'll give you internet cookies- good ones!) 

**A/N 2: Thank you to:**

Soaringmunkymuffins

willriley01

'chuffy-barmed-oc'

SENNAR

Halliwell-Piper

Rini09

Heather1021

Tiger's Eye32

littletwit


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